Artificers are able to summon Iron Defender minions using a special ability. These minions are similar to hirelings, and enable a UI bar for players to control their pet's actions. The minions are treated as hirelings, but do not take up a party slot. The Iron Defender will level up with the number of Artificer levels of its owner, and gain two action points per Artificer level that can be spent on special Iron Defender enhancements.

The death of an Iron Defender is traumatic for the Artificer, causing the Artificer to take 10% of their maximum hit points in damage (but cannot bring the Artificer below 1 hit point), and 10% of an Artificer's maximum spell points.

Iron Defenders have Modules that can be equipped from their "inspect" screen. Docents and modules created in Device Workstations can be equipped in module slots.

Rapid Reload is now automatically granted to Artificers at level 1.

When a Rune Arm is equipped, the "Caps Lock" key is used to fire the Rune Arm. The key is pressed to begin charging the Rune Arm; hitting the key again will fire the weapon. Rune Arms can be charged only a limited amount while moving, but can be powered to become far more powerful when the Artificer is standing still. Charging a Rune Arm does not interrupt or prevent other actions, but may hinder some abilities or speed while a charge is held. A charge-up UI shows what tier of charging the Rune Arm has reached. Rune Arms have a cooldown that is tied to the level of the charge fired.

There are several different Rune Arm fire patterns. Many will fire projectiles at a selected hard target, or at the reticule if no target is hard selected, while others fire unguided shots at the reticule or fire blasts of energy in an area in front of the Artificer.

Rune Arms have imbue effects that apply to your equipped weapons. For example, Thought Spike, a Tier One Force Shot Rune Arm, adds 1 to 2 points of Force damage to all of the Artificerís melee or ranged attacks.

Crafting xp required to level has been reduced, and drop rates of essences increases.

Point Blank Shot has been changed to, "You gain +1 bonus to hit with ranged attacks within 45 feet, and your ranged weapons deal deals +1(Base Weapon Damage). (A weapon that deals 1d6 damage per hit will deal 2d6 damage per hit instead, while a weapon that deals 2d8 damage per hit will deal 4d8 damage instead. This affects the base dice associated with a weapon any time they are rolled, including critical hits.)"

Improved Sunder now lowers fortification by 10% on a failed saving throw, in addition to the feat's prior reduction of a target's armor class by -5. The lowered fortification effect does not stack. Additionally, Improved Sunder will apply a -3 Fortitude Saving Throw penalty that lasts for 24 seconds on a successful hit. The saving throw penalty stacks up to five times.

Rogue Wrack Construct no longer possesses a Saving Throw, and has a ranged version as a sub-enhancement.